Friday, March 30, 2012

Flying solo yesterday, I began where I last ended my previous cleanup; Third Avenue, Melbourne Beach.

Third Avenue, my starting point

It wasn't quite the mess that Ocean Avenue was, however, there was enough to fill a tote bag.

Turtles like shiny things

Shadow beagle
sniffing out litter

Highlighting the need to
keep our beaches clean

There are trash cans at every beach access,
not that far away. I don't get it.

You cannot hide from me

One for the collection!

Wreckage in the wrack

It was hot, about 85F, 23C; summer is on its way. During the summer we go through periods of 100F for days in a row, around 35C. My cleanups will have to be either early morning or as the sun is setting; that's too hot for me.

Journey's end for this day- The Breakers condos

I walk down on the top of the sand, searching the dunes for junk and then on my return I walk along the shoreline, finding relief from the hot sand in the cool ocean water.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

It's spring break in Brevard county so I had my helper with me yesterday. Awesome weather for the occasion, 82F 26 C.

Ocean Ave, Melbourne Beach was where we brought our energy and boy it's a good thing we did. What a mess. Food wrappers and drink bottles everywhere.

junk food junk

Bottle shock

Mcmess

It only took about 15 minutes for us to fill two totes full of junk. Most of it was trash left on the beach. There were a few well worn pieces of debris that had been in the drink for awhile but 95% of what we collected was abandon by user.

I found 18 beer cans buried in the sand. Some of them, I had to dig deep to retrieve. Why do people think that makes it better? It's not, especially during sea turtle nesting season.

Sea turtle nest

One thing I find really interesting is that the temperature of the nest determines the gender of the turtles. Cool dudes and hot chicks!

30 recyclables

My county walk is going to head south to Sebastian Inlet, then back to Ocean Ave heading north to Port Canaveral.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Back in February I discovered a video by Chris Keet about his plastic experiment. He challenges people to save the plastic used over a thirty day period and give up one plastic item that you use regularly for that thirty day period.

Almost everything comes in plastic! Looking at my plastic pile was not pretty. My dogs favorite food comes in a big plastic bag, the best dish soap ever is in a plastic bottle, my son's favorite snack- yogurt comes in these little plastic cups.

I'm trying to cut back where I can but one recent change I made was my liquid laundry soap.

I gave it up for powder laundry soap in a cardboard box. Of course inside the cardboard box is.....

a plastic scoop

I turned the yogurt cups into music shakers for my Betty Galloway Children's Museum booth at the Rock out The Violence music festival on April 14th. This event is to support the Serene Harbor Domestic Violence Shelter here in Brevard County. If You're in town, come to the Wickham Park pavillion from 12-8 for the best local bands and a great cause.

I'm scrubbing out the dog food bags and experimenting with turning them into shopping bags.

Veggies from the farmers market are plastic package free and much fresher.

On another note...today was to be the first day of my walk the county cleanup event. Reality check: I'm not going to be able to walk the county in a week. Especially with my April 14th event- I have so much to do! However, I am going to begin my county walk tomorrow and do it in little bites.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Spring breakers are all over the place enjoying our Florida spring- a beautiful mid 70s day or mid 20s C.The beaches look pretty good but they can be better...

Lager litter

The first turtle hatchlings have been spotted on our Brevard county beaches. Yea! These little guys have a tough road ahead. Only about one in 4000 survive to adulthood. They deserve a nice clean beach to start their journey.

faded balloon

snack scrap

We walked for about an hour collecting bits of plastic as well as shells. A passing surfer gave us a big thanks, always appreciated.

We removed 9 feet of rope from the beach bringing the total up to 1204 ft or 401 yards.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Keep Brevard Beautiful had their Trash Bash today from 8-noon. We had a school thing, however, we did our own Trash Bash at the beach. We spent about an hour and a half picking litter and picking shells.

We collected about 2 lbs of trash and 12 cigarette butts.

Spring Breakers are here! Lots of teens and 20 somethings were enjoying our awesome weather. 80s F 20s C. We're glad that you're here but please be good to our beautiful Florida beaches. If you brought it to the beach please take it with you when you go, that includes cigarette butts! Thank you, enjoy your stay.

Man O' War- pretty poison

Sadly we came upon a dead sea turtle. We reported it to the Sea Turtle Preservation Society- 321-676-1701- call this number in Brevard county if you find distressed or deceased turtles. Poor thing had no head. I suppose some predator made a meal out of it. Life in the wild can be rough. I can't watch those shows where you see lions hunting zebras. It's brutal. I feel horrible for the poor zebra but a lion has to eat right?

I'm happy with my vegetarianism.

chunk O' junk

one for the shovel collection-#9

Care for an olive?

I recovered 9 ft. of rope, giving me a new total of......1195 ft or 398.33 yds.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

With rain pouring down, it's not a beach day today. However, yesterday was a gorgeous beach day.

Melbourne Beach was looking pretty good, we probably collected less than a pound of trash, two cigarette butts and this heavy duty plastic...

Meals Ready to Eat-menu 6- chicken with noodles

We heard a lot about these MREs during the hurricanes of 2004. Some people were without power for weeks. We were out for 10 days and later for 12 days. Thank goodness we had a gas stove!

I picked up 4 ft of rope, bringing my total to 1186 ft or 395.33 yds.

Beauty at the beach-Coral Bean plant

Of course there were bottle caps and plastic chips and evil jellyfish imitators; which were removed and disposed of.

Sea Turtle nesting season has begun. The massive leatherbacks are the first to begin laying eggs. (they can be over 1100 lbs) In May the Logger Head season will officially be underway.Check out the Sea Turtle Preservation Society website for more information. www.seaturtlesspacecoast.org.

Have you hugged your beach lately?Keep it clean for turtles!Thanks for stopping by,Beach Hugger.